There he chose a
place of dwelling among the high rocks.
place of dwelling among the high rocks.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
2,
p.
2.
compound
in an of antiquarian point
thing peculiar,
view, is marked on that situation. There is likewise a Mayne, in a parish of the same
name, in the barony of Fore, to be found ''
on the Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
of Wessmeath," Sheets 2, The site of a church, churchyard, and glebe-
land will be seen on the latter sheet.
^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Cavan," Sheet 14.
*7An Irish Life of St. Maidoc, cap. 72,
states, St. Dalian lived there. See Colgan's
arii, n. 18, p. 204. St. Maidoc's Acts, as
edited by Colgan, are comprised in 64 chapters, nor do we find Dalian's name oc-
curring in those published by him at the 31st Januarii, n. 21, p. 205. I must remark, of January. that in Dermot O'Conor Keating's "His-
*^
Disert, in the parish of Inver, barony of ever to such a circumstance.
the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Donegal," although at present
a TuUagh simply is described as a townland
in the parish of Clonmany, barony of Inish- owen East, Sheets 3, 10. There is another townland denomination of Tullagh, in the parish of Mevagh, barony of Kilmacrenan. See Sheet 27.
—
note ( I ), by Dr. Todd, appended to his and
Dr. Reeves' edition of the " of Martyrology
Donegal," p. 30.
7' See Rev. William Reeves' "Ecclesias-
tical Antiquities of Down, Connor, and Dromore," n. (o), p. 115.
T^ In the of and ba- parish Killygarvan,
rony of Kilmacrenan, shown on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheet 28. An old fort, and a village, are the only objects of interest marked upon it.
7° A more recent hand adds here CulAig 'OAliAin •popcc1]^ CoriAiLL. "There is also a Tulach Dallain still in Tir Connaill. " So we are informed in a
There is a townland denomination of tory of Ireland," there is no allusion what-
7'* See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernias,"xxix.
:
. Aca
January 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 503
of Dromore, is said to have derived its name from this saint. 75 Under any form of the name, this parish or townland cannot be traced there on the Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the county. We can discover, in both the pubUshed^^ and in the unpubhshed77 copies- of the Martyrology of Tallagh, that Dalian mac Forgaill o Maighin is entered at the 29th of Janu- ary. At this same date, Marianus O'Gorman, Charles Maguire,^^ and that Calendar, compiled by the Rev. William Reeves,79 record this holy and learnedman. WealsofindregisteredintheMartyrologyofDonegal,^"on this day, Dalian Forgaill, of Maighin, descended from the race of Colla Uais, Monarch of Ireland. It has been stated, by a patriotic Irish writer, that our people were enthusiastic in their love for religion, and that they mingled Christianity with their poetry and their literature, the most culti- vated, perhaps, of all western Europe. '^^ We can hardly doubt, that several of our saintly and literary men contributed much to foster this taste and spirit; noramongthemdowemeetwithamoredistinguishedrepresentative of past culture and piety, than the pious man whose acts and writings have just passed before us in review.
Article VI. —St. Baeithin. After the introduction of seven foreign saints at this day, in the Franciscan copy of the Martyrology of Tallagh, the Irish saints first noticed are the three Clarenigh,' i. e. , Baithen, Segin, and
Cronan. ^ Baeithin, is separately registered in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day. He is also entered in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,4 but united with two other saints. Why these three saints are venerated on the same day is a problem of difficult solution.
Article VII. —St. Cronan. We find a St. Cronan separately recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having a festival at this date. He is also entered, but not separately, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ Towards the
"
close of life he might repeat, as St. Paul did to the Ephesians,
fought a good fight ; I have finished my course ; I have kept the faith. "3 Therefore was he a ready sacrifice when the time of dissolution was at hand.
ArticleVIII. —St. SeighinorSegin. TheMartyrologyofTallagh'' mentions that on the 29th of January a festival was held in honour of St. Segin. He is united with the two former saints. " Na tri Clarenigh. i Bae-
7S See various particulars regarding it in Rev. William Reeves' "Ecclesiastical Anti-
quities of "Down, Connor, and Dromore," n. (o), pp. 114, 115.
7* Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
77 In the Franciscan copy, the entry of
this saint's name
omAjhin. Afterwards the MS. part is want- ing from this date to the i ith of March.
79 See Connor,
^
The ciscancopy
'OAblAn tri
reads, 1:o]\5ai'L'L
following
is the text in the Fran-
7*In the copy of his "Festilogy. "
ocu|' I'esmi ocuf cporiAne.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
" and
Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Dromore," Appendix LL. , p.
30, 31.
* Edited
Re—v. Dr. '
376.
^Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
30, 31.
^' See Mark S. "Irish O'Shaughnessy's
Nationality; a the of Study upon History
Ireland, from the Twelfth to the Seventeenth
2
Edited by Kev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
Century," p. 7. Dublin : i860, 8vo.
—'The three
or "board-faced men," were probably so called, because of their plain, flatly-shaped features, or owing to some peculiarity in
their physiognomy,
Article vi.
"" Clarinechs,
:
—
TlA
C|\1 cLA]\eni5
. 1. bAicheni
xiv. Article vii. Edited by Drs. Todd
by
and Reeves, pp. 30, 31.
Kelly, p.
^ii. — Tim. , iv. , 7.
Articleviil. Kelly, p. xiv.
' Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
I have
504 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 29.
thini ocus Segini ocus Cronani," is the entry found in this record. In the Martyrology of Donegal^ we fin—d entered on this day, Seighin. Immediately
were
[flat-faced], Cronan, Baeithin, and Seighin. " Perhaps from the physical peculiarity at- tributed to these saints, and their feasts occurring the same day, we may suppose them to have been brothers, or perhaps to have been descended
from some common progenitor.
Article IX. —Reputed Festival of St, Amnichad. In the anony-
mous catalogue of our national saints, pubUshed by O'Sullivan Beare,^ this saint's feast is set down at the 29th of the present month. The follo^ving day, however, seems to have been his proper festival.
Article X. —St. Mocheanna, or Mac Conna, Virgin. Watchful
and untiring in their duty, holy virgins are as the Apostle desired, not children of darkness, but children of the light and of the day, sober and
sleepless. ' We read of Mocheanna, a virgin, having a festival at this date, according to the Martyrology of Donegal. ^ In the published
Martyrology of Tallagh,3 as in the Franciscan copy,* her name is simply entered as Mac Conna. Notwithstanding the apparently incorrect way of spelling the name in this latter record, I cannot doubt but it represents Mo- cheanna.
:
afterwards follows this notice " The three Clairenechs
Article XI. —St. Volocus, Macwoloch, or Faelchu, Bishop and Missionary in Scotland. [Probably zn the Fifth or Sixth Century. '] Little of an authentic cast seems to be known regarding this zealous missionary prelate. On to-day, however, in the Kalendar and Breviary of Aberdeen,' there are notices of St. Volocus, who is said to have flourished in or after the fifth century. We find him classed as a bishop and confessor by Dempster, who calls him Makvoolocus. ^ He is also called Macwoloc. 3 Camerarius,* the Scottish priest, and Ferrarius^ have notices of St. Makwolocus, or Wolocus, as a bishop in Scotia. We also find him called Maknolocus and Volocus. Yet the Bollandists, at this date, rank him among those saints unkno\\'n to them, and to be relegated for further possible notice. ^ This holy man came a stranger to Scotland, and as analogy might possibly lead one to suppose that Volocus was the Latin form of the Irish name, Faelchu,? it seems possible enough he was a native of Ireland. ^
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
30, 31, —
Article ix. 'See "Historise Catho-
191,
2 See Adam
"
iv,, cap, xi. , p. —49, merarius. '^
=^"
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
30, 31,
3 Edited by the Rev. Dr, Kelly, p. xiv,
* In this the name is united with that of
another virgin, likewise venerated on the
—mochonriA biAchA ,v. present day, thus,
See
Acta Sanctomm," tomus ii. , xxix,
tomus i. , lib.
143.
'' He is
Maknolocus
David Ca- Article x. i Thess. v. , 5> 6. "Catalogus Generalis Sanctorum. "
licas Ibemise
Compendium,"
styled
See ibid. , p. 234,
by
Under Aberdeen," p. 128, and Pars Hyemalis, tonsure. See Rev, Dr. Reeves' Adamnaft's
Article xi, 'See "Martyrology of
folio xliv.
- See " Menologium Scoticum," in Bishop Forbes' " Kalendar of Scottish Saints," p.
"
Life of St. Columba," p. 381.
^ At the 6th of April, he is commemorated
At a time when St. Celestine^ sent
Januarii, p. 916.
^ See Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scot-
King's
Ivalendar," ibid. , p.
tish Saints," p, 460.
^ There was a Faelchu Mac Dorbene, who
was Abbot of lona A. D,
to
him the community there received the Roman
in the Roman Martyrology.
717
724.
January 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 505
Palladius'° first to the Scots of Ireland, already believing in Christ," and afterwards to Pictland, there seems to have been a Christian element existing amid a barbarous people, yet addicted to Paganism and to theworship of idols. "
A purer and better-organized system appears to have been introduced from Rome, while missionary efforts diffused a more orderly form of Church go- vernment, among the rude and uncultivated inhabitants. More than four hundred years after our Lord suffered for us, and while the one Faith, which the Roman Church teaches, had not been received through all Scotia, as few Christian teachers were there, the blessed confessor Volocus left his parents and native land. He heard that our Lord Jesus Christ had suffered for him and for all men, and he fully understood the faith of Christ. He followed a Divine Master's footsteps, so far as the frailty of human nature would allow. Volocus voluntarily submitted to the greatest hunger, thirst and cold, that in this life he might satisfy for his own sins and for those of others in his Church. Heissaidtohavebeenadvancedtotheepiscopalgrade,andto have preached chiefly in the northern parts of Scotland.
There he chose a
place of dwelling among the high rocks. He preferred a poor little house, woven together with reeds and wattles, to a royal palace. In that he led a life of poverty and humility. He wrought great miracles. '3 He also shunned the world's dignities to achieve a higher reward in heaven, and for eternal guerdonhehopedtoreceiveaperpetualcrown. Thepeopleamongwhom helivedwerefierceanduntamed,voidofdecentmannersandvirtue. Their conversation was brutish, and they were incapable of easily listening to the voice of truth. They had neither altar, nor temple, nor oratory, to praise God ; as they believed not in Christ's incarnation, they had neither know- ledge nor faith ; like animals, given to sleeping, eating, and gorging, their lives were finished in the blindness of unbelief, and they supposed no eternal painsforsinhadbeeninflictedontheunjust. '^ Tenderlyfeelingcompassion for their errors, and filled with the love of Christ, blessed Volocus never ceased from preaching and instructing, sometimes mixing up light and sweet things, sometimes hard and stem reproofs, to gain their souls to heaven. They saw that his great miracles could only proceed from God. Several were converted to the faith. At length, in extreme old age, and on the 4th of the kalends of February, with angels standing around, he passed away to Christ. The parochial churches of Tumeth^^ and Logy'^ in Mar are dedi- cated to his honour. "7 In a popular rhyme we have such a notice. '^ The death of this blessed bishop is placed at a. d. 733 by Camerarius,'? and his
'°
See his life, at the 6th of July. Ac- hordes ; living chiefly by the chase, patient
cording to Venerable Bede, his mission to the Scots took place in the eighth year of the
Emperor Theodosius junior's, reign, which began in the year of our Lord 423. See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. i. , cap. 13, p. 55.
" So
of fatigue and privation ; rapacious, revenge- ful, bloody, strong of body, hardy, active, and ferocious.
'S In the "Martyrology of Aberdeen" it
is denominated Dummeth, Camerarius
calls itTunimeg.
'* is a in the Kin- Logie-Coldstone parish
cardine O'Neil district of Aberdeenshire.
"
'7 "Aberdeen Breviary," fol. 44b, 45. Pars Hyemalis.
states in his Chronicle.
'* The missions of St. Ninian and of St. Palladius render this state of things exceed-
See Forbes' ' ' Ka- Bishop
Prosper
ingly probable.
lendars of the Scottish Saints," p. 460.
Coldstone, 1618. See Fullarton's
'3 See Bishop Forbes' tish Saints," p. 460.
"
Kalendars of Scot-
Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 365, 366.
'The classical writers, Mela, lib. iii. . Dio, Severus, Herodian, lib. iii. , in the
'^ "
Wala-fair in Logic Mar,
The thirtieth of
day Januar.
early
ages,
describe the of people
"
historic
Caledonia as wild, nomadic, half-clothed
It comprehends the ancient parishes of Logic Mar and which were united in
'' See p. 75.
5o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 30.
missionisgivenatCandidaCasa,^'"inBalveny,^'StrathdonandMar. '^ Two miles below Beldomy, in the parish of Glass,^3 are St. Wallach's Baths, a ruined chapel called Wallach's Kirk, and St. Wallach's Well. ^* Until very lately, this well was visited as a place of pilgrimage. ^s it has been justly
remarked, by a distinguished religious,^^ that the power, which a saint wields, is not his own, but that eternal power communicated to him by the Eternal
Will. ^7 He needs no earthly weapons when he goes forth, not to attempt conquest, but as a conqueror.
Cfiirtiet! ) Bap of 3fanuarp^
ARTICLE I. —ST. AMNUCHAD, ANMICHADIUS OR ANMCHAD, RECLUSE OF FULDA, IN GERMANY.
[TENTH AND ELEVENTH CENTURIES. -^
pure heavenly
their exercise and indulgence. While this saint is usually called Amnichad, Amnicadus, and Annuchadus, the more correct forms for his name would seem to be Anmchad, Amnuchadus, or Anmichadus. The Irish were accustomed to call persons by this name Anmchad, as well during as long before Colgan's time. ' By Cratepolius, our saint is incorrectly named Annu- chardusorAnnuchadus,'andbyFerrarius,Annichadus. 3 Aparticularnoble family was called Siol Anmchadha, having derived its origin and name from a certain Dynast, called Anmchad. It possessed a district of country in southern Connaught, which bordered on the River Shannon's western bank. s It has been supposed,'^ that our saint was a member of this family, which
ALL
known as
Whitehom,'/our
miles from Barrow
of — 116, Ireland," chap, iii. , p.
earthly pleasures are sure to end in satiety or disgust ; those derived from a love of God and from meditation increase with
'^ The situation of this cradle of Christi-
anity in North Britain is to be seen noted on
the excellent Map of Wigtonshire, in Nichol-
son's "History of Galloway. " It is now
''SSee Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 461.
^*
Sister Mary Francis Clare,
*7 See her " Life of St. Patrick, Apostle
Head, one of the most extreme southern
promontories of Scotland.
Article
torum Hibemise," xxx. Januarii De Beato Anmichado, Confessore, n. i, p. 206.
^'
Near the Castle of Balveny, in the pa-
rish of Mortlach, in Banffshire, and not far from St. Molach's Church, Malcolm II. ob- tained a glorious victory over the Danes. See FuUarton's "Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 464, 465.
*»"Viewof the Diocese of Aberdeen," p. 128, note.
^3 This parish is partly in Aberdeenshire and partly in Banffshire. See the account of it contained in FuUarton's "Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 791, 792.
^•See "View of the Diocese of Aber-
neen," p. 129, and "Antiquities of Aber- deen and Banff," vol. ii. , p. l8l.
" In his work, " De Episcopis Germanise. "
3 "Catalogus Generahs Sanctorum. "
*0'Madagain,prO'Madadhain, Anglicized to O'Madden, is the tribe name. See "The Annals of Ireland, translated from the original Irish of the Four Masters," by Owen Connellan, Esq. , with annotations by Philip MacDermott, Esq. , M. D. , and the translator, p. 130, note.
s Its position is indicated on the Map of Ancient Ireland, postfixed to the work just quoted,
^ByColgan.
i.
' See "ActaSane- Colgan's
January 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 507
was one of considerable antiquity. 7 The Acts of St. Amnichad have been
placed on record, at this day, by various hagiographical writers. Thus in four paragraphs, the Bollandists have given some notices of this saint. ^ Colgan has also celebrated his memory, and has derived his information from different sources. 9 That our saint was born, probably before the end of the tenth century, appears from this circumstance of his having been first a monk in Ireland ; and that afterwards he lived many years as a recluse at Fulda, wherehediedbeforethemiddleoftheeleventhcentury. '" Thathewasa native of Ireland is proved by Marianus O'Gorman and Florence of Wor- cester, in their respective Chronicles.
The " Anmchad's Siolnamchad, interpreted
race," formerly occupied part of Galway county, adjoining the River Shannon, and now including Longfordbarony. " Oursaintis thoughttohavebeenascionofthispar- ticular family. " He is also said to have been patron saint of the O'Mad- dens. '3 Again, the Island of Iniskeltra, in which our saint was educated, is situated between two well-known provinces of Ireland, Connaught and Munster. '+ Thisholymonklived,notfarfromtheIslandofIniskeltra,on the Shannon. '5 It was probably the reason for his religious profession under the will and guidance of the Abbot Corcran, who then presided over the establishment at Iniskeltra. This monastery of Iniskeltra was insulated by
its founder, St. Camin. '^ Amid the wide-spreading waters of Lough Derg, he lived about the middle of the seventh century, and his foundation
flourished in great repute for many succeeding ages. '7 A melancholy loneli- ness and interest are now felt, as the tourist wanders over a site spread with ruins. '^ This island of Iniskealtra or Holy Island gives name to the parish
7 It was flourishing even when Colgan wrote.
^See"ActaSanctorum,"tomusii. , xxx.
Januarii. Vita S. Anmichadi, p. 1055.
5 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxx.
Januarii. De B. Anmichado, Confessore, pp. 205, 206.
'°He died A. D. 1043. See Marianus O'Gorman, in his Chronicle; Florence of Worcester, in his history; and Trithemius, or John of Trittenem, " Catalogus Scrip- torum Ecclesiasticorum, sive Illustrium Vi- rorum," lib. iii. , cap. 244, and in Chron.
'3 See an excellent little work, Mrs. Anas- tasia O'Byme's "Saints of Ireland," p. 12.
'* Corcran, his master, it is most probable, lived and died in Ireland.
'5 Colgan supposes, that our saint was not
venerated in any particular place, by the institution of a Divine office, or by any other
mark of special respect paid to the saints ; although all writers agree in calling him a holy man, and his Natalis occurs in the
Martyrologies, at the 30th of January. See
Vita S. Anmichadi, n. I, p. 206.
^* His feast occurs at the 24th of March. '7 In "The Irish Penny Magazine," vol.
i. , No. 36, pp. 281, 282, will be found a
wood-cut. An interesting article, fro—m the
pen of John D'Alton, accompanies it the subject being Iniscaltra or Holy Island.
'^ The occurring to- following paragraph,
" By Colgan this is supposed to be pro-
bable, for the following reasons, i. There
was another holy man descended from this
family, who was celebrated for his learning
and piety, and who was bishop of the church
of Clonfert, situated in the same part of the
country. His death is recorded in the tions of his native country. After describ- "Annals of the Four Masters," at A. D.
A. D.
" " Silanmchadia, Silanchia, a Territory
in the C. of Galway, comprehending the Barony of Longford, the country of the O'Maddens. " Harris' Ware, vol. ii. , "An-
tiquities of Ireland," chap, vii. , sec. i. , p. 53.
Hirsaugiensi,
1045.
1 1 where he is " Anmcha O'h 17, called,
Anmchadha, Bishop of Ard-fearta-Breniaun. " See O'Donovan's edition, vol. ii. , pp. 1002,
ing these ruins, and recording historical
renders " Anmchadus it,
1003. Colgan
O'Hanmchadha . i. de stirpe Anmchadi Episcopus de Cluainferta S. Brandani, obiit anno U17," n. i, p. 206.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae. " xxx. Januarii.
wards the conclusion of the article in ques- tion, is alike creditable to the literary repu-
tation, correct judgment, taste, and religious feeling of this writer, our lamented and venerable deceased friend, who has signally served to popularize the history and tradi-
on the island, Mr. D'Alton
notices, bearing
*'
writes :
that crowded upon me when years since I sat down amidst the consecrated shades of these ^venerable ruins ; the birds were rust- ling through their ivied walls, and the withered leaves of autumn were crackling
Never can I forget the feelings
5o8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 30.
in which it Hes, and it is situated in the barony of Leitrim and county of Galway.
p.
2.
compound
in an of antiquarian point
thing peculiar,
view, is marked on that situation. There is likewise a Mayne, in a parish of the same
name, in the barony of Fore, to be found ''
on the Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
of Wessmeath," Sheets 2, The site of a church, churchyard, and glebe-
land will be seen on the latter sheet.
^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Cavan," Sheet 14.
*7An Irish Life of St. Maidoc, cap. 72,
states, St. Dalian lived there. See Colgan's
arii, n. 18, p. 204. St. Maidoc's Acts, as
edited by Colgan, are comprised in 64 chapters, nor do we find Dalian's name oc-
curring in those published by him at the 31st Januarii, n. 21, p. 205. I must remark, of January. that in Dermot O'Conor Keating's "His-
*^
Disert, in the parish of Inver, barony of ever to such a circumstance.
the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Donegal," although at present
a TuUagh simply is described as a townland
in the parish of Clonmany, barony of Inish- owen East, Sheets 3, 10. There is another townland denomination of Tullagh, in the parish of Mevagh, barony of Kilmacrenan. See Sheet 27.
—
note ( I ), by Dr. Todd, appended to his and
Dr. Reeves' edition of the " of Martyrology
Donegal," p. 30.
7' See Rev. William Reeves' "Ecclesias-
tical Antiquities of Down, Connor, and Dromore," n. (o), p. 115.
T^ In the of and ba- parish Killygarvan,
rony of Kilmacrenan, shown on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheet 28. An old fort, and a village, are the only objects of interest marked upon it.
7° A more recent hand adds here CulAig 'OAliAin •popcc1]^ CoriAiLL. "There is also a Tulach Dallain still in Tir Connaill. " So we are informed in a
There is a townland denomination of tory of Ireland," there is no allusion what-
7'* See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernias,"xxix.
:
. Aca
January 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 503
of Dromore, is said to have derived its name from this saint. 75 Under any form of the name, this parish or townland cannot be traced there on the Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the county. We can discover, in both the pubUshed^^ and in the unpubhshed77 copies- of the Martyrology of Tallagh, that Dalian mac Forgaill o Maighin is entered at the 29th of Janu- ary. At this same date, Marianus O'Gorman, Charles Maguire,^^ and that Calendar, compiled by the Rev. William Reeves,79 record this holy and learnedman. WealsofindregisteredintheMartyrologyofDonegal,^"on this day, Dalian Forgaill, of Maighin, descended from the race of Colla Uais, Monarch of Ireland. It has been stated, by a patriotic Irish writer, that our people were enthusiastic in their love for religion, and that they mingled Christianity with their poetry and their literature, the most culti- vated, perhaps, of all western Europe. '^^ We can hardly doubt, that several of our saintly and literary men contributed much to foster this taste and spirit; noramongthemdowemeetwithamoredistinguishedrepresentative of past culture and piety, than the pious man whose acts and writings have just passed before us in review.
Article VI. —St. Baeithin. After the introduction of seven foreign saints at this day, in the Franciscan copy of the Martyrology of Tallagh, the Irish saints first noticed are the three Clarenigh,' i. e. , Baithen, Segin, and
Cronan. ^ Baeithin, is separately registered in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day. He is also entered in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,4 but united with two other saints. Why these three saints are venerated on the same day is a problem of difficult solution.
Article VII. —St. Cronan. We find a St. Cronan separately recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having a festival at this date. He is also entered, but not separately, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ Towards the
"
close of life he might repeat, as St. Paul did to the Ephesians,
fought a good fight ; I have finished my course ; I have kept the faith. "3 Therefore was he a ready sacrifice when the time of dissolution was at hand.
ArticleVIII. —St. SeighinorSegin. TheMartyrologyofTallagh'' mentions that on the 29th of January a festival was held in honour of St. Segin. He is united with the two former saints. " Na tri Clarenigh. i Bae-
7S See various particulars regarding it in Rev. William Reeves' "Ecclesiastical Anti-
quities of "Down, Connor, and Dromore," n. (o), pp. 114, 115.
7* Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
77 In the Franciscan copy, the entry of
this saint's name
omAjhin. Afterwards the MS. part is want- ing from this date to the i ith of March.
79 See Connor,
^
The ciscancopy
'OAblAn tri
reads, 1:o]\5ai'L'L
following
is the text in the Fran-
7*In the copy of his "Festilogy. "
ocu|' I'esmi ocuf cporiAne.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
" and
Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Dromore," Appendix LL. , p.
30, 31.
* Edited
Re—v. Dr. '
376.
^Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
30, 31.
^' See Mark S. "Irish O'Shaughnessy's
Nationality; a the of Study upon History
Ireland, from the Twelfth to the Seventeenth
2
Edited by Kev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
Century," p. 7. Dublin : i860, 8vo.
—'The three
or "board-faced men," were probably so called, because of their plain, flatly-shaped features, or owing to some peculiarity in
their physiognomy,
Article vi.
"" Clarinechs,
:
—
TlA
C|\1 cLA]\eni5
. 1. bAicheni
xiv. Article vii. Edited by Drs. Todd
by
and Reeves, pp. 30, 31.
Kelly, p.
^ii. — Tim. , iv. , 7.
Articleviil. Kelly, p. xiv.
' Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
I have
504 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 29.
thini ocus Segini ocus Cronani," is the entry found in this record. In the Martyrology of Donegal^ we fin—d entered on this day, Seighin. Immediately
were
[flat-faced], Cronan, Baeithin, and Seighin. " Perhaps from the physical peculiarity at- tributed to these saints, and their feasts occurring the same day, we may suppose them to have been brothers, or perhaps to have been descended
from some common progenitor.
Article IX. —Reputed Festival of St, Amnichad. In the anony-
mous catalogue of our national saints, pubUshed by O'Sullivan Beare,^ this saint's feast is set down at the 29th of the present month. The follo^ving day, however, seems to have been his proper festival.
Article X. —St. Mocheanna, or Mac Conna, Virgin. Watchful
and untiring in their duty, holy virgins are as the Apostle desired, not children of darkness, but children of the light and of the day, sober and
sleepless. ' We read of Mocheanna, a virgin, having a festival at this date, according to the Martyrology of Donegal. ^ In the published
Martyrology of Tallagh,3 as in the Franciscan copy,* her name is simply entered as Mac Conna. Notwithstanding the apparently incorrect way of spelling the name in this latter record, I cannot doubt but it represents Mo- cheanna.
:
afterwards follows this notice " The three Clairenechs
Article XI. —St. Volocus, Macwoloch, or Faelchu, Bishop and Missionary in Scotland. [Probably zn the Fifth or Sixth Century. '] Little of an authentic cast seems to be known regarding this zealous missionary prelate. On to-day, however, in the Kalendar and Breviary of Aberdeen,' there are notices of St. Volocus, who is said to have flourished in or after the fifth century. We find him classed as a bishop and confessor by Dempster, who calls him Makvoolocus. ^ He is also called Macwoloc. 3 Camerarius,* the Scottish priest, and Ferrarius^ have notices of St. Makwolocus, or Wolocus, as a bishop in Scotia. We also find him called Maknolocus and Volocus. Yet the Bollandists, at this date, rank him among those saints unkno\\'n to them, and to be relegated for further possible notice. ^ This holy man came a stranger to Scotland, and as analogy might possibly lead one to suppose that Volocus was the Latin form of the Irish name, Faelchu,? it seems possible enough he was a native of Ireland. ^
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
30, 31, —
Article ix. 'See "Historise Catho-
191,
2 See Adam
"
iv,, cap, xi. , p. —49, merarius. '^
=^"
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
30, 31,
3 Edited by the Rev. Dr, Kelly, p. xiv,
* In this the name is united with that of
another virgin, likewise venerated on the
—mochonriA biAchA ,v. present day, thus,
See
Acta Sanctomm," tomus ii. , xxix,
tomus i. , lib.
143.
'' He is
Maknolocus
David Ca- Article x. i Thess. v. , 5> 6. "Catalogus Generalis Sanctorum. "
licas Ibemise
Compendium,"
styled
See ibid. , p. 234,
by
Under Aberdeen," p. 128, and Pars Hyemalis, tonsure. See Rev, Dr. Reeves' Adamnaft's
Article xi, 'See "Martyrology of
folio xliv.
- See " Menologium Scoticum," in Bishop Forbes' " Kalendar of Scottish Saints," p.
"
Life of St. Columba," p. 381.
^ At the 6th of April, he is commemorated
At a time when St. Celestine^ sent
Januarii, p. 916.
^ See Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scot-
King's
Ivalendar," ibid. , p.
tish Saints," p, 460.
^ There was a Faelchu Mac Dorbene, who
was Abbot of lona A. D,
to
him the community there received the Roman
in the Roman Martyrology.
717
724.
January 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 505
Palladius'° first to the Scots of Ireland, already believing in Christ," and afterwards to Pictland, there seems to have been a Christian element existing amid a barbarous people, yet addicted to Paganism and to theworship of idols. "
A purer and better-organized system appears to have been introduced from Rome, while missionary efforts diffused a more orderly form of Church go- vernment, among the rude and uncultivated inhabitants. More than four hundred years after our Lord suffered for us, and while the one Faith, which the Roman Church teaches, had not been received through all Scotia, as few Christian teachers were there, the blessed confessor Volocus left his parents and native land. He heard that our Lord Jesus Christ had suffered for him and for all men, and he fully understood the faith of Christ. He followed a Divine Master's footsteps, so far as the frailty of human nature would allow. Volocus voluntarily submitted to the greatest hunger, thirst and cold, that in this life he might satisfy for his own sins and for those of others in his Church. Heissaidtohavebeenadvancedtotheepiscopalgrade,andto have preached chiefly in the northern parts of Scotland.
There he chose a
place of dwelling among the high rocks. He preferred a poor little house, woven together with reeds and wattles, to a royal palace. In that he led a life of poverty and humility. He wrought great miracles. '3 He also shunned the world's dignities to achieve a higher reward in heaven, and for eternal guerdonhehopedtoreceiveaperpetualcrown. Thepeopleamongwhom helivedwerefierceanduntamed,voidofdecentmannersandvirtue. Their conversation was brutish, and they were incapable of easily listening to the voice of truth. They had neither altar, nor temple, nor oratory, to praise God ; as they believed not in Christ's incarnation, they had neither know- ledge nor faith ; like animals, given to sleeping, eating, and gorging, their lives were finished in the blindness of unbelief, and they supposed no eternal painsforsinhadbeeninflictedontheunjust. '^ Tenderlyfeelingcompassion for their errors, and filled with the love of Christ, blessed Volocus never ceased from preaching and instructing, sometimes mixing up light and sweet things, sometimes hard and stem reproofs, to gain their souls to heaven. They saw that his great miracles could only proceed from God. Several were converted to the faith. At length, in extreme old age, and on the 4th of the kalends of February, with angels standing around, he passed away to Christ. The parochial churches of Tumeth^^ and Logy'^ in Mar are dedi- cated to his honour. "7 In a popular rhyme we have such a notice. '^ The death of this blessed bishop is placed at a. d. 733 by Camerarius,'? and his
'°
See his life, at the 6th of July. Ac- hordes ; living chiefly by the chase, patient
cording to Venerable Bede, his mission to the Scots took place in the eighth year of the
Emperor Theodosius junior's, reign, which began in the year of our Lord 423. See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. i. , cap. 13, p. 55.
" So
of fatigue and privation ; rapacious, revenge- ful, bloody, strong of body, hardy, active, and ferocious.
'S In the "Martyrology of Aberdeen" it
is denominated Dummeth, Camerarius
calls itTunimeg.
'* is a in the Kin- Logie-Coldstone parish
cardine O'Neil district of Aberdeenshire.
"
'7 "Aberdeen Breviary," fol. 44b, 45. Pars Hyemalis.
states in his Chronicle.
'* The missions of St. Ninian and of St. Palladius render this state of things exceed-
See Forbes' ' ' Ka- Bishop
Prosper
ingly probable.
lendars of the Scottish Saints," p. 460.
Coldstone, 1618. See Fullarton's
'3 See Bishop Forbes' tish Saints," p. 460.
"
Kalendars of Scot-
Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 365, 366.
'The classical writers, Mela, lib. iii. . Dio, Severus, Herodian, lib. iii. , in the
'^ "
Wala-fair in Logic Mar,
The thirtieth of
day Januar.
early
ages,
describe the of people
"
historic
Caledonia as wild, nomadic, half-clothed
It comprehends the ancient parishes of Logic Mar and which were united in
'' See p. 75.
5o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 30.
missionisgivenatCandidaCasa,^'"inBalveny,^'StrathdonandMar. '^ Two miles below Beldomy, in the parish of Glass,^3 are St. Wallach's Baths, a ruined chapel called Wallach's Kirk, and St. Wallach's Well. ^* Until very lately, this well was visited as a place of pilgrimage. ^s it has been justly
remarked, by a distinguished religious,^^ that the power, which a saint wields, is not his own, but that eternal power communicated to him by the Eternal
Will. ^7 He needs no earthly weapons when he goes forth, not to attempt conquest, but as a conqueror.
Cfiirtiet! ) Bap of 3fanuarp^
ARTICLE I. —ST. AMNUCHAD, ANMICHADIUS OR ANMCHAD, RECLUSE OF FULDA, IN GERMANY.
[TENTH AND ELEVENTH CENTURIES. -^
pure heavenly
their exercise and indulgence. While this saint is usually called Amnichad, Amnicadus, and Annuchadus, the more correct forms for his name would seem to be Anmchad, Amnuchadus, or Anmichadus. The Irish were accustomed to call persons by this name Anmchad, as well during as long before Colgan's time. ' By Cratepolius, our saint is incorrectly named Annu- chardusorAnnuchadus,'andbyFerrarius,Annichadus. 3 Aparticularnoble family was called Siol Anmchadha, having derived its origin and name from a certain Dynast, called Anmchad. It possessed a district of country in southern Connaught, which bordered on the River Shannon's western bank. s It has been supposed,'^ that our saint was a member of this family, which
ALL
known as
Whitehom,'/our
miles from Barrow
of — 116, Ireland," chap, iii. , p.
earthly pleasures are sure to end in satiety or disgust ; those derived from a love of God and from meditation increase with
'^ The situation of this cradle of Christi-
anity in North Britain is to be seen noted on
the excellent Map of Wigtonshire, in Nichol-
son's "History of Galloway. " It is now
''SSee Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 461.
^*
Sister Mary Francis Clare,
*7 See her " Life of St. Patrick, Apostle
Head, one of the most extreme southern
promontories of Scotland.
Article
torum Hibemise," xxx. Januarii De Beato Anmichado, Confessore, n. i, p. 206.
^'
Near the Castle of Balveny, in the pa-
rish of Mortlach, in Banffshire, and not far from St. Molach's Church, Malcolm II. ob- tained a glorious victory over the Danes. See FuUarton's "Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 464, 465.
*»"Viewof the Diocese of Aberdeen," p. 128, note.
^3 This parish is partly in Aberdeenshire and partly in Banffshire. See the account of it contained in FuUarton's "Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 791, 792.
^•See "View of the Diocese of Aber-
neen," p. 129, and "Antiquities of Aber- deen and Banff," vol. ii. , p. l8l.
" In his work, " De Episcopis Germanise. "
3 "Catalogus Generahs Sanctorum. "
*0'Madagain,prO'Madadhain, Anglicized to O'Madden, is the tribe name. See "The Annals of Ireland, translated from the original Irish of the Four Masters," by Owen Connellan, Esq. , with annotations by Philip MacDermott, Esq. , M. D. , and the translator, p. 130, note.
s Its position is indicated on the Map of Ancient Ireland, postfixed to the work just quoted,
^ByColgan.
i.
' See "ActaSane- Colgan's
January 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 507
was one of considerable antiquity. 7 The Acts of St. Amnichad have been
placed on record, at this day, by various hagiographical writers. Thus in four paragraphs, the Bollandists have given some notices of this saint. ^ Colgan has also celebrated his memory, and has derived his information from different sources. 9 That our saint was born, probably before the end of the tenth century, appears from this circumstance of his having been first a monk in Ireland ; and that afterwards he lived many years as a recluse at Fulda, wherehediedbeforethemiddleoftheeleventhcentury. '" Thathewasa native of Ireland is proved by Marianus O'Gorman and Florence of Wor- cester, in their respective Chronicles.
The " Anmchad's Siolnamchad, interpreted
race," formerly occupied part of Galway county, adjoining the River Shannon, and now including Longfordbarony. " Oursaintis thoughttohavebeenascionofthispar- ticular family. " He is also said to have been patron saint of the O'Mad- dens. '3 Again, the Island of Iniskeltra, in which our saint was educated, is situated between two well-known provinces of Ireland, Connaught and Munster. '+ Thisholymonklived,notfarfromtheIslandofIniskeltra,on the Shannon. '5 It was probably the reason for his religious profession under the will and guidance of the Abbot Corcran, who then presided over the establishment at Iniskeltra. This monastery of Iniskeltra was insulated by
its founder, St. Camin. '^ Amid the wide-spreading waters of Lough Derg, he lived about the middle of the seventh century, and his foundation
flourished in great repute for many succeeding ages. '7 A melancholy loneli- ness and interest are now felt, as the tourist wanders over a site spread with ruins. '^ This island of Iniskealtra or Holy Island gives name to the parish
7 It was flourishing even when Colgan wrote.
^See"ActaSanctorum,"tomusii. , xxx.
Januarii. Vita S. Anmichadi, p. 1055.
5 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxx.
Januarii. De B. Anmichado, Confessore, pp. 205, 206.
'°He died A. D. 1043. See Marianus O'Gorman, in his Chronicle; Florence of Worcester, in his history; and Trithemius, or John of Trittenem, " Catalogus Scrip- torum Ecclesiasticorum, sive Illustrium Vi- rorum," lib. iii. , cap. 244, and in Chron.
'3 See an excellent little work, Mrs. Anas- tasia O'Byme's "Saints of Ireland," p. 12.
'* Corcran, his master, it is most probable, lived and died in Ireland.
'5 Colgan supposes, that our saint was not
venerated in any particular place, by the institution of a Divine office, or by any other
mark of special respect paid to the saints ; although all writers agree in calling him a holy man, and his Natalis occurs in the
Martyrologies, at the 30th of January. See
Vita S. Anmichadi, n. I, p. 206.
^* His feast occurs at the 24th of March. '7 In "The Irish Penny Magazine," vol.
i. , No. 36, pp. 281, 282, will be found a
wood-cut. An interesting article, fro—m the
pen of John D'Alton, accompanies it the subject being Iniscaltra or Holy Island.
'^ The occurring to- following paragraph,
" By Colgan this is supposed to be pro-
bable, for the following reasons, i. There
was another holy man descended from this
family, who was celebrated for his learning
and piety, and who was bishop of the church
of Clonfert, situated in the same part of the
country. His death is recorded in the tions of his native country. After describ- "Annals of the Four Masters," at A. D.
A. D.
" " Silanmchadia, Silanchia, a Territory
in the C. of Galway, comprehending the Barony of Longford, the country of the O'Maddens. " Harris' Ware, vol. ii. , "An-
tiquities of Ireland," chap, vii. , sec. i. , p. 53.
Hirsaugiensi,
1045.
1 1 where he is " Anmcha O'h 17, called,
Anmchadha, Bishop of Ard-fearta-Breniaun. " See O'Donovan's edition, vol. ii. , pp. 1002,
ing these ruins, and recording historical
renders " Anmchadus it,
1003. Colgan
O'Hanmchadha . i. de stirpe Anmchadi Episcopus de Cluainferta S. Brandani, obiit anno U17," n. i, p. 206.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae. " xxx. Januarii.
wards the conclusion of the article in ques- tion, is alike creditable to the literary repu-
tation, correct judgment, taste, and religious feeling of this writer, our lamented and venerable deceased friend, who has signally served to popularize the history and tradi-
on the island, Mr. D'Alton
notices, bearing
*'
writes :
that crowded upon me when years since I sat down amidst the consecrated shades of these ^venerable ruins ; the birds were rust- ling through their ivied walls, and the withered leaves of autumn were crackling
Never can I forget the feelings
5o8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 30.
in which it Hes, and it is situated in the barony of Leitrim and county of Galway.
